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Paul B's picture

Mental Health - A happy way of thinking...

Submitted by Paul B on Tue, 09/16/2008 - 5:05pm.

I’ve made a 180 degree turn from my original ‘biological illness’ view of mental health and illness. I think my attempt to explain mental health fits within the 4 criteria above...

Perhaps mental health is just a method of thinking and interpreting, which facilitates personal happiness.

For example, I’m writing my opinion on this website, and someone disagrees with me. If I were to have 'mental health', I interpret the disagreement as an opportunity to learn another viewpoint and to change or defend my own. I would be happy and excited by the intellectual stimulation. On the other hand, I could have a 'mental unhealth' and interpret the disagreement as an attack against me and my intelligence - in which case, I would be upset.

Mental 'unhealth' isn't neccesarily wrong. In fact, it may be right sometimes. Perhaps having 'mental health' is naive sometimes...

What are your thoughts? feel free to disagree :-)

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